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Cannabis and Policing

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The Cannabis Act, 2017 contains the legal framework for controlling the production, distribution, sale and possession of cannabis across Canada as of October 17, 2018. The Regional Municipality of York, including the Public Health and Bylaw departments, or individual municipalities, will enforce non-criminal requirements such as complaints around public consumption, odour and retail locations, as well as the Smoke Free Ontario Act, 2017 which regulates the sale, supply, use, display and promotion of tobacco, vapour products and cannabis.

In conjunction with the regulations set out in the act, York Regional Police, working alongside our municipal, regional, provincial and federal partners, will be enforcing violations of the federal act and the provincial regulations, concentrating on the following enforcement responsibilities .

York Regional Police enforcement responsibilities

Impaired driving

On suspicion of impairment, an officer can compel a driver to take a Standardized Field Sobriety Test (SFST) or be tested by a Drug Recognition Expert (DRE)

For G1, G2, commercial drivers and those under 21, no amount of cannabis is legal

Distribution (selling or trafficking)

Currently, the only legal way to purchase cannabis is online through the Ontario Cannabis Store

YRP will continue to enforce illegal distribution, either commercial or non-commercial and the unlawful trafficking of cannabis via an illicit location

Cultivation

The Cannabis Act dictates a four-plant maximum per residence

YRP will continue to investigate and charge owners of illegal cannabis grow operations, including those who are growing in excess of Health Canada licences

Possession

Youth under 19 are not permitted to possess, consume or grow cannabis in Ontario

Adults are permitted to possess a maximum of 30 grams of cannabis for recreational use

Medical users can possess in excess of 30 grams in certain circumstances, if they can provide documentation to an officer that they have been issued a valid medical licence by Health Canada. Additional information on acceptable documentation from Health Canada can be found here

Transporting (in vehicles)

All cannabis must be packaged, sealed and inaccessible to all vehicle occupants

If any passenger has access to cannabis, the driver could be charged

If transporting cannabis, the best place to store it is in the trunk of your vehicle

Additional Resources

To learn more about municipal bylaws related to the use of cannabis in York Region, visit york.ca